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Charging ahead on electric vehicles

A meeting will be held in Coquitlam for businesses and non-profit groups interested in having electric vehicle charging stations on their property.

— image credit: METRO VANCOUVER PHOTO

Could an electric vehicle charging station be coming to a neighbourhood or business park near you?

Metro Vancouver is certainly hoping so and is inviting businesses and non-profit groups to attend a meeting in Coquitlam City Council Chambers Monday, Nov. 19 to find out how.

The regional authority is pre-qualifying up to 75 eligible businesses and non-profit organizations to host an electric vehicle charging station as part of the Provincial Community Charging infrastructure Fund (CCI). Eligible hosts will receive up to $4,000 per stall as well as guidance on technologies and free site assessments that include costs.

The purpose of the meeting in Coquitlam is to give interested parties a briefing on the incentive and answer questions on site specific costs, benefits and technical issues. It runs from 9- 11 a.m. at city hall, 3000 Guildford Way.

According to MetroVancouver, hundreds of businesses and organizations are already hosting sites because electric vehicles reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as demonstrate forward thinking and attract trend-setting, values-driven customers.

The city of Port Moody has also decided to apply for one of the grants to help cover the costs of building stations, estimated at $32,000 with $2,500 in annual operating costs.

Electric vehicle charging stations are not a new idea, with fee-based and free public stations operating in the U.S. and Europe.

dstrandberg@tricitynews.om

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